NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATING EMS INSTRUCTORS

AUGUST 2002

MODULE 20: REMEDIATION

Cognitive goals
At the completion of this module the student-instructor should be able to:
20.1 Use his or her own words to define and describe remediation
20.2 Describe the steps of the remediation process
20.3 Describe the critical components to include when performing an assessment of a
problem requiring remediation
20.4 List skills critical to student learning success

Psychomotor goals
At the completion of this module the student-instructor should be able to:
20.1 Role play a front end assessment to identify and explore the causes of a problem
requiring remediation

Affective goals
At the completion of this module the student-instructor should be able to:
20.1 Value the need to assist student in becoming independent self-directed learners

Declarative
I. Why this module is important
A. Remediation is needed when students do not perform as expected in any of the
three domains of learning
B. Students need learning strategies and skills for success in educational situations
1. Instructors can assist students in developing these skills
C. Instructors need a systematic plan to determine what the problem is that is
associated with the need for remediation

II. What is remediation?

A. A deliberate educational activity designed to correct deficits identified during
formal and informal evaluations
B. What causes the need for remediation?
1. Failure of a student to perform as expected on cognitive, affective or
psychomotor content
C. Remediation process follows a systematic plan
1. Identify the problem
a. Evaluate possible causes for the problem
b. Identify where the deficits came from: student or educational program
2. Retrain the student
3. Re-evaluate the student

III. Critical skills for student success

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A. Students need cognitive, metacognitive and motivational skills to adequately

problem solve
B. Strategies that lead to successful learning
1. Interest and motivation
2. Self-efficacy and self-management
3. Adequate knowledge base
4. Cognitive monitoring
5. Attribution
C. Interest and motivation
1. Intrinsic motivation from within
2. Extrinsic motivation from without
3. Instructor should monitor for intrinsic and extrinsic motivators
a. Help students identify intrinsic motivators and recognize their value
b. Provide extrinsic motivators to student
D. Self-efficacy and self management
1. Encourage students towards independent learning by providing collaborative
and self-directed learning opportunities in the classroom
2. Contextual control
a. Provide students with control of their learning whenever possible
E. Adequate knowledge base
1. Students should work through each level of sophistication with each domain
of learning to move towards metacognitive strategies
a. Instructor role:
i. Provide learning opportunities to best facilitate this
ii. Encourage independent and self-directed learning
2. Metacognition: active monitoring, self-regulation and reflection of personal
mental activities
a. Metacognition helps learner:
i. Analyze their own comprehension and needs
ii. Use instructional components according to analyzed needs
iii. Find hints for correct solutions to problems
iv. Actively problem solve
v. Transfer concepts to other contexts to further learning
F. Cognitive monitoring
1. Students need to be active readers, writers, planners and listeners
a. Instructors can facilitate the development of any skills that are lacking or
inadequate
2. Provide study strategies
a. Plan and organize study time
b. Steps to start and complete complex assignments
c. Previewing resources and identifying important topics
d. Comprehension of material
e. Use of mnemonics and other memory strategies
f. Highlighting and note taking
g. Active listening during lectures and discussions
h. Preparing for exams

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3. Utilize a strategic process to facilitate learning

a. Strategic process goals
i. Regulate strategies used to develop self
a.) Understand personal learning style and preferences
b.) Observe strategies that enhance success
ii. Keep performance records
a.) For reflection and review of progress
iii. Evaluate progress
a.) Reflect upon successes
b.) Redirect as needed
G. Attribution
1. What does student attribute as the cause for failure?
a. Attribution plays a very important role in whether or not the student
accepts responsibility for learning
i. Does the student think or feel they are a victim of circumstances?
ii. Does the student blame the instructor or program for their failure?
2. What does instructor attribute as the cause for failure?
a. Insufficient instruction
i. Correct with better designed strategies that target student learning
styles and facilitate self-directed learning
b. Low expenditure of effort by student
i. Determine if student is willing to spend additional energy to learn
ii. Provide extrinsic motivation
c. Poor strategy for learning
i. Provide help with developing learning skills
d. Student's lack of ability
i. Consider this possibility after you have considered all other
possible causes
ii. Prerequisites and developmental opportunities may help diminish
the frequency of this as a cause of failure
iii. Development of inadequate or absent learning strategies may
mitigate this as a cause

IV. The steps of remediation

A. Identify the problem
1. Front end assessment is crucial
a. If you jump to a solution before fully understanding the problem you may
not have the correct solution
2. Ask the right questions
a. Was the problem with student's performance due to a problem with their
education or training?
b. Did the student perform correctly previously?
i. No: it may be a knowledge deficit
ii. Yes: it may be a motivation deficit
c. Can you describe the problem?

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3. Understand the interrelationship between education, performance,

environment and needs
a. Complex relationship that may not be initially obvious
b. Take time to explore all areas thoroughly
B. Identify where the deficits came from: educational program or student
1. Look for attributions
a. Insufficient instruction
b. Low expenditure of effort by student
c. Poor strategy for learning
d. Student's lack of ability
C. Retrain student
1. Use the information gathered from the assessment of the problem to design a
strategy for improvement
a. Social contracts are critical to successful remediation
i. Student agrees to work towards change
ii. Instructor agrees to help facilitate change process for student
2. Help improve student learning strategies
a. Monitor student's progress in applying these new skills
3. Provide correct instruction and adequate time for practice
a. Involve other members of the educational team
D. Re-evaluate student
1. Repeat remediation process until successful outcome is achieved or logical
stop point is reached
a. Program guidelines, rules and regulations should address consequences for
failure to perform at expected level following remediation
b. Students should have written documentation that is provided on first class
session outlining expectations for success

Bibliographical References

Cicchetti, George. (1990). Cognitive Modeling And Reciprocal Teaching Of Reading And
Study Strategies. Watertown: Cicchetti Associates.

Collinson, Vivienne. (1996). Reaching Students Teacher's Ways of Knowing. Thousand

Oaks: Corwin Press, Inc.

Mayer, R. E. (1998). Cognitive, metacognitive and motivational aspects of problem

solving. Instructional Science, v. 26, number 1-2, 49-63.

Robinson, D. G., & Robinson, J. C. (1996). Performance consulting Moving beyond

training. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

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